Life is But a Dream
by nyxnotnicks
Summary: Robert and Rosalind have an idyllic life after they complete their mission to save Elizabeth


The Luteces' new home was smaller than their combined lab and home in Columbia. Their lab was housed in a second, larger building on the same plot of land, a precaution they'd taken when they first moved in. Rosalind was already pregnant by then, thanks to their combined efforts and the loneliness that came with being one person after being so many for so long.

The baby was always the first to wake up in the morning. The baby often slept between them and this morning he woke with a loud wail of discontent. Robert opened one eye and looked at the little boy, stroking his cheek delicately. Rosalind stirred and groaned, leaning over to examine his state. "He needs a change and breakfast, I'd imagine." She sat up and picked the baby up, cradling him in her arms. "I'll get him sorted if you'll see to Elizabeth."

Robert nodded and rubbed his face, yawning softly. "We promised her a picnic, I think." He groaned a little as he stood up. Even after five years he was still surprised at how much he ached in the mornings. He supposed that would only get worse with time. Sometimes he wondered if he'd made the right decision. Elizabeth was strong willed and already thought herself an adult. Allen was frequently fussy and his fussiness was reflected in Rosalind who had little enough patience on the best of days.

He glanced over his shoulder, watching as Rosalind tended to the baby. She returned his gaze for a moment and offered him a wry smile. Aching was an acceptable price to pay for the life he now had. It was worth the pain and frustration inherent to their condition.

He drew on his clothing, finishing just as Rosalind was settling down to feed Allen. The little noises of greedy hunger the child made at the start drew a chuckle from Robert. He could feel his face breaking into a large smile. "Enjoy it, young man. In a year or so those shall be mine again."

Rosalind snorted. "They're always going to be mine. Off you go. Elizabeth is probably halfway done with a new mural on her wall at this rate."

Robert nodded and went across the hall to their daughter's room. It was a riot of color and disarray. The little girl was still in her nightgown, a book in her lap. That she was already reading lengthy books was a great source of pride for her parents. Robert sat next to her, examining the book. It was about geology and had many scribbles in the margins, a habit she'd picked up from their precise notes in their own books. "Good morning, princess."

Elizabeth looked up at Robert and hugged him. "Morning Daddy. We're gonna have a picnic, right? You and Momma said we would."

Robert hugged her back, stroking her brilliantly red hair. "Of course. We'd never break such a promise, unless the weather forced us to alter our plans. First you must get dressed and have breakfast." He leaned back and kiss the tip of her nose.

Elizabeth sighed, which drew a laugh from Robert. She was so dramatic. He would think she was an exact duplicate of Rosalind if not for the slight differences between the girls' faces. Elizabeth resembled her grandfathers from the nose up. She slid off the bed and went to her wardrobe. Robert rose to his feet and followed her, picking out an outfit for the day. "Here, it's the one with the ribbons on the back. You like this one, right?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nooooo. I want to wear pants today like you, Daddy. They're more fun for running in the grass."

Robert considered that for a moment. His instinct was to give in to her demands because it made her happy and it was easiest in the long run. He didn't know where this fascination with pants came from but she often repeated this request. He eyed her wardrobe and pulled out another dress instead. "You remember that those are for around the house only, right? You need to wear a dress if we're going on a picnic. This one has the pretty lace on it. I know it's your favorite."

Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest and huffed with all her might. "No, Daddy. I want to wear pants like you. I'm a big girl. The baby wears dresses so I want to wear pants."

Robert eyed the girl and considered his options. His stomach growled loudly, which made up his mind for him. Without another word he drew out the pants they'd gotten for her. Elizabeth's face lit up, the stubborn expression turning to one of delight. "Thank you, Daddy."

She didn't take long dressing. Robert left her hair for after breakfast. Elizabeth wasn't very careful about it and they often wound up washing it after she ate. The little girl led the way to the dining room, skipping gleefully. Robert thought she looked very cute in her pants, even if it was unconventional. He doubted she'd grow up to be a conventional woman, anyway.

Breakfast was already on the table and it was quite an impressive spread. A package wrapped in brown paper and tied with a white string waited by his plate. Robert smiled softly when he saw it. "I wondered if you'd forgotten."

Rosalind shook her head, setting her teacup down. "Of course not. Your contributions to this family are vital and greatly appreciated. Happy father's day, Robert."

Robert touched the package, unable to suppress a smile.

_Robert toyed with the coin that they used for their coin flips, his expression thoughtful. Rosalind glanced over at him, concern obvious in her expression. Booker and Elizabeth were about to find Chen Lin. They had to be prepared to give the next clue. "What's wrong, brother?"_

_Robert shook his head. "Nothing."_

_Rosalind frowned at him, her arms crossed. "If it was nothing then you wouldn't have that sad look on your face. It must be something, and something rather large at that."_

_Robert eyed the coin and took a deep breath. "Do you ever have dreams, Rosalind? Now, I mean. When you're not thinking about something else."_

_Rosalind paused and nodded. "Yes. I've often wondered if they were possible futures or probable pasts or something else. Probably they are nothing but our minds wandering."_

_Robert nodded, putting the coin back in his pocket. "Yes. I'm certain you're right."_

_Rosalind reached out to touch his arm. "What did you dream?"_

_Robert pressed his lips together and shook his head. "Nothing new. It's a variation on a dream I had in many universes."_

_Rosalind eyed him for a moment longer then nodded once and turned her attention to their quarry. "Ah, here we are. They just found him."_

_Robert withdrew the coin again and took a deep breath. One task remained before he could even think about making that dream a reality. Before they could be parents they had to undo the wrongs they'd done._


End file.
